Knitting machine needle hook



Oct. 7, 1958 .1.1 MORRIS 2,854,836

KNITTING MACHINE NEEDLE HOOK Filed Feb. 14. 1955 United States PatentOfiice 2 ,854,835 Patented Oct. 7, 1958 KNITTING MACHINE NEEDLE HOOKJoseph L. Morris, Elmhurst, N. Y. Application February 14, 1955, SerialNo. 487,905 2 Claims. (Cl. 66-121) This invention relates to new anduseful improvements in knitting machine needle hooks for spring beardneedles, latch needles, two-part needle assemblies and other types andkinds of knitting machine needles.

In knitting by machine, a small knitting hook produces better quality ofknitting but causes more ditficulties in operation due to knots, slu'bsand uneven yarns. It is common practice to enlarge the outside diameterof the hook in order to increase the inside diameter, the common hookbeing a true are or segment of a circle, but this results in a largerhook unless the diameter of the hook material is reduced, but reducingthe cross section thusly weakens the hook.

One object of the present invention proposes constructing an improvedhook by increasing the inner or inside cross dimension of the hook andat the same time decreasing the outside cross dimension by forming arelatively square hook. Still further, the present invention proposesforming the hook with legs of other than round cross section and in avariation of different shapes to afford larger inside dimensions withoutincreasing outer dimensions.

Another object of the present invention proposes the shortening of thehook length to reduce latch motion on latch needles where the hook isused on such needles.

A further object of the invention proposes forming a point on the hookfor entering loops in knitting that are to be transferred and enteringin a more accurate and positive manner.

A still further object of the present invention proposes constructingthe hook with a cam surface on its outer side tofunction as a web holderwhen knitting without a fabric take-up roll.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects andadvantages thereof, reference will .be had to the following descriptionand accompanying drawings,

and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of theinvention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. 1 is an enlarged side view of a knitting machine needle shank withparts broken away and with a hook constructed and arranged in accordancewith the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. l but showing a hook having differentdimensions.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 4--4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 but illustrating a modification ofthe present invention.

Figs. 6 to 11, inclusive, are views similar to Figs. 4 and 5 butillustrating other modifications of the present invention.

Fig. 12 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but illustrating anpthermodification of the present invention.

Fig. 13 is an enlarged side view of a beard needle having a hookconstructed and arranged in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 14 is an enlarged view with parts broken away of the hook shown inFig. 13.

Fig. 15 is a view similar to Figs. 1 and 3 but illustrating a stillfurther modification of the present invention.

Fig. 16 is a sectional view taken on the plane of the line 1616 of Fig.15, parts being omitted.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the knitting machine needlehook in accordance with the first form of the invention shown in Figs. 1and 2 is designated generally by the reference numeral 15.

Hook 15 has a shank portion or base leg 16, an outwardly extending leg17 and an outer leg 18 disposed substantially parallel to the shankportion or base leg 16. The shank portion or base leg 16 is connected toand is an extension of the shank 19 of a knitting machine needle whichmay be a spring beard needle, a latch needle, a two-part needle assemblyor any other type or kind of knitting machine needle. For example, thehook 15 may be formed on a twenty-four gauge (.034 inch shank) needle inwhich event the outside width or cross dimension of the hook is about.085 inch as compared with an outside diameter of .090 inch on the usualround hook, while the inside width or cross dimension of the hook isabout .050 inch as compared with an inside diameter of .040 inch on theusual round hook for this gauge needle.

Instead of the legs 16, 17 and 18 of hook 15 being round in crosssection as found on the usual knitting needle hook, these legs aresubstantially rectangular in cross section with angular peripheral edges20, 21, 22 and 23 connecting the sides 24, 25, 26 and 27. Where the hook15 is on a twenty-four gauge needle and has the dimensions mentionedabove, the heights of the three needle hook legs 16 1'7 and 18 betweentheir opposed sides 24 and 26 is about .0175 inch and the width betweenopposed sides 25 and 27 is about .030 inch. The inside surface 30 of thehook will bypass knots and slubs more easily than that of a round hookbecause the yarn tension is generally at point 31 and at this point thesurface 30 is relatively flat as compared to the arcuate or curved format this point of the usual round hook of round cross section.

Where the usual round cross section hook for a twentyfour gauge needlehas a diameter of about .025 inch and the hook has a cross sectionalarea of about .000490875 square inch, hook 15 has a cross sectional areaof .000525 square inch due' to its cross-sectional shape, about.000034125 square inch greater than the usual hook. Thus thecross-sectional shape of hook 15 provides a hook of greater tensilestrength than the common round cross section hook.

The hook 35 shown in Figs. 3 and 4 is similar to hook 15 except that ithas base leg or shank portion 36, out wardly extending leg 37, and outerleg 38 extending parallel to the base leg 36, all of which are polygonalin cross section. Each leg 36, 37 and 38 has an outer side 39, an innerside 40 and connecting sides 41, 42, 43, 44, 45 and 46. The outsidewidth or cross dimension of the hook is reduced so that for atwenty-four gauge needle it is about .080 inch while the inside width orcross dimension of the hook is increased to about .045 inch for thisgauge needle due to the cross-sectional shape of hook 35. As comparedwith the usual round hook on a twentyfour gauge needle of round crosssection, the outside width or diameter is reduced 'by .010 inch and theinside width or diameter is increased by .005 inch.

The modifications of the invention shown in Figs. 5 to 11, inclusive,are characterized by the provision of difierent cross-sectional shapedlegs all, however, being polygflat inner side 59 and flatconnectingsides 60,. 61, '62 and In Fig. 7, the leg.64 has a flat outersidex65, a flat inner side 66 and flat connecting sides 67,, 68, :69,7.0,, .71 and 72 which are flat. V

in Fig. 8, the leg 73 has a flat outer side 74 and a fiat inner side '75with flat connecting sides. 76, 77, 73 and 79. In Fig. 9, the leg 80 hasaflat outer side 81, a flat. inner side 32 and fiat connecting sides 83,84, 85 and 86.

In. Fig. 10, the leg.87 has a flat outer side 88 and a flat inner side89withrounded or curved connecting sides 90 and 91;

In Fig. ll, the leg92 has all fiat sides, an outer side 93, and innerside .94 and connecting sides 95, 96, 97, 98,99 and 100.

The modification of. the invention illustratedv in Fig. 12 ischaracterized by the provision ofv a latch needle 101 having a hook102with legs-103, 104 and 105 connected by short beveled angular portions 106'and 107. In addition, the inside surface 108 is cut or otherwiseformed to incline from point 109 to 1-10 to provide a substantiallysquare hook.

The modification of the invention illustrated in Figs. 13 and 14 ischaracterized by the provision of a hook 111 on a beard needle 112, thehook 111 having legs 113, 114 and 115 connected by short beveledportions 116 and 117 to simplify the bending. The sharp ninety degreecorners shown in the other hooks are difiicult to manufacture and a fewthousandths angle in the corners makes the bending operation easier. Theinner angular corners 118 and 119 in the crook of the hook may besubstantially right angle corners with small bend radii.

The modification of. the invention illustrated in Fig. 15 ischaracterized by the provision of a latch needle 128 with a hook 120having legs 121, 122 and 123, the legs 122 and 123 having inclinedsurfaces 124 and 125 terminating in a point 126. The inclination is inthe direction of the reciprocation of the needle so as to act as a camsurface on a cast-off loop 127 and to cause the loop 127 to move towardthe base leg 121 of the needle when the needle moves toward the loop.Because of these inclined surfaces, the hook will act as a web holderwhen knitting is done without a fabric takeup roll. The inclined surface125 may also function in cooperation with sinkers (not shown) which alsofunction as web holders. The point 126 provides a simple method ofentering knitted loops that are to be transferred from one needle bankto another. It is only necessary for point 126 to enter a loop that isto be transferred so that the hook can properly and easily enter theloop.

The point 126 may be formed with inclined surfaces on all sides of thepoint or only on two or three sides. The outer, inner and connectingsides of the legs 121, 122 and 123 are all fiat such asthe sides of theleg: 121 shown in Fig. 16.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of myinvention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to theprecise constructions herein disclosed and that various changes andmodifications may be made within the scope of the invention as definedin the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by United States Letters Patent is: a

1. A knitting machine needle hook for a needle having a shank connectedwith the hook, comprising three legs disposed substantially at rightangles to each other, one of said legs being a continuation of theneedle shank and forming the base leg of the hook, another of said legsbeing outwardly extending from the base leg substantially at a rightangle thereto, and the other of said legs being disposed substantiallyparallel to the base leg and at a substantially right angle to the legextending outwardly therefrom, said leg parallel to the base legterminating in a point disposed toward the shank of the needle, saidthree legs forming a hook with a relatively square inner shape, said legextending outwardly from the base leg having an outer inclined camsurface inclined to the direction of reciprocation of the needle, saidleg disposed substantially parallel to the base leg having an inclinedouter cam surface inclined to the direction of reciprocation of theneedle and connected with said other outer inclined cam surface on theleg extending outwardly from the base leg by a loop entering point atthe end of the hook for transfer purposes.

2. A knitting machine needle hook for a needle having a shank connectedwith the hook, comprising three legs disposed substantially at rightangles to each other, one of said legs being a continuation of theneedle shank and forming the base leg of the hook, another of said legsbeing outwardly extending from the base leg substantially at a rightangle thereto, and the other of said legs being disposed substantiallyparallel to the base leg and at a substantially right angle to the legextending outwardly therefrom, said leg parallel to the base legterminating in a point disposed toward the shank of the needle, saidthree legs forming a hook with a relatively square inner shape, said legextendingoutwardly from the base leg having an outer inclined camsurface inclined to the direction of reciprocation of the needle, saidleg disposed substantially parallel to the base leg having an inclinedouter cam surface inclined to the direction of reciprocation of. theneedle and connected with said other outer inclinedlcarn surface ontheleg extending outwardly from the base leg by a loop entering point atthe end of the hook for transfer purposes, said leg disposedsubstantially parallel to the base leg also having an inside surfaceinclined in the direction of reciprocation of the needle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,044,324 Page June 16, 1936

